Single Idea 13772

[catalogued under 9. Objects / D. Essence of Objects / 15. Against Essentialism]

Full Idea

Is the being or essence of each of the things that are something private to each person, as Protagoras tells us?

Gist of Idea

Is the being or essence of each thing private to each person?

Source

Plato (Cratylus [c.375 BCE], 385e)

Book Reference

Plato: 'Complete Works', ed/tr. Cooper,John M. [Hackett 1997], p.103


A Reaction

This kind of drastic personal relativism about essences doesn't sound very plausible, but the idea that essences are private to each culture, or to each language, must certainly be taken seriously.